Bubbly on hold as PM sticks to formalities

Date: February 05 2013

Jacqueline Maley

There was no champagne at Monday's swearing-in ceremony. Not French, not Australian sparkling wine, not even a humble paper cupful of Chilean chardonnay for the Prime Minister's new ministerial line-up.

While previous swearings-in have been cork-popping affairs, this one - Julia Gillard's third re-shuffle - was all business, a formal occasion that felt part-first day of school and part-awkward awards ceremony, but minus the frocks and with no band to play the recipients out.

The day grew hot and glorious as we journalists waited in a groupie-like cluster amid the petunia beds on the sweeping, gravelled drive of Yarralumla's Government House.

Chauffeur-driven commonwealth cars deposited fresh-minted ministers and parliamentary secretaries at the Governor-General's door. They bounced up the steps.

Baby-faced Mark Butler, who takes on Housing and Homelessness (as well as keeping the Mental Health and Ageing portfolio) is a front-seat-of-the-cab guy.

Which is encouraging. He arrived alone, smiling so hard his dimples nearly burst.

Chris Bowen, who leaves the Immigration portfolio to take Tertiary Education, Skills, Science and Research, wore a well-pressed suit and a relieved expression, having given the slip to what is widely judged to be the worst job in politics (aside, perhaps, from the poor soul charged with writing up the transcripts of Bob Katter's speeches. ''Kafka-esque'' doesn't cover it).

Which brings us to Brendan O'Connor, our new Immigration Minister, whose loyalty to his leader is worthy of a country and western song, maybe even an entire album. The ceremony had been delayed so he could take his daughter Una to her first day of school that morning.

Mike Kelly, owner of the most magnificent moustache in politics, took on Defence Materiel, and Jason Clare was sworn in as Cabinet Secretary (and he keeps Home Affairs and Justice).

Mark Dreyfus, replacing Nicola Roxon as Attorney-General and taking on Emergency Management, carried his own bright-blue copy of the Tanakh, the canon of the Hebrew scriptures.

He beamed at the Governor-General, Quentin Bryce, resplendent in florals, and she beamed back. Melissa Parke, Yvette D'Ath and Kelvin Thompson were also sworn in as parliamentary secretaries.

The ceremony was over quickly and the newbies retired for soft drinks and tea. Then it was back to work with the first caucus meeting of the year held yesterday afternoon.

Perhaps the champagne would have been superfluous anyway. A bruising parliamentary year looms. Polls show the government's popularity lolls in the shallows. A hungry Opposition Leader is prowling the Lodge.